Humans have been wandering around Washington for thousands of years, and over the millennia, some of these people created maps based on their journeys. This excellent digital collection from the Washington State University (WSU) Libraries brings together almost 1,000 maps that document the area's history. As the introduction to the collection notes "By studying these past maps we find - hidden within colorful cartouches, precise boundaries and skillful gradations by and artists' hand - the assumptions placed on the land as observed by their authors." The WSU library worked with its educational partner across the Cascades at the University of Washington Libraries Map Collection, and the results are quite fine. First-time visitors can use one of the predefined searches, which include Bird's-eye views, Missions, and Railroads. The maps of Puget Sound and environs are quite nice here, and visitors shouldn't miss the 1891 bird's eye view of the area, crafted by Charles H. Baker.
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